Quilt #3 Progress...

Okay, so I'm counting this as quilt #3 for the year, since I'm already behind. :/ Technically, it will be my third quilt, since I made one for my son, and one mini quilt before this. I didn't want to have to count the mini quilt, but I have been so busy, that I haven't had much time to quilt! By the way, I sold my mini quilt in my Etsy shop, and I was so happy that I had sold my first quilt (mini or not...)! :)

Yes, this is a very belated Valentine's Day gift for my husband, but he doesn't mind and we both feel that Valentine's Day should be celebrated every day of the year. :) My husband is very excited to use this quilt! This is just the top, so I will have one more post to show the completed quilt. My husband requested a fleece back to the quilt, so I'm waiting on his special order fabric to come in. :) The back will be a simple chocolate brown color fleece. Can you tell my nine-patch blocks are "X's" and "O's"? What a pain that was! I sewed them all separately, which is much more difficult than sewing strips, then cutting. Sigh... Oh well, at least I've learned something from this! After I finished sewing the nine-patch blocks all around the panel, I was sick of them! But, I didn't feel the quilt top was big enough, so I just did a simple patchwork border around my nine-patch blocks. Anyways, I am SO happy I've completed at least the quilt top! I'm basically halfway done with this thing!

I've also started my step-sister's wedding signature quilt blocks, and I'm SO excited to finish her quilt top! Especially since they are nice big 13" blocks (so easy!). Her wedding was this past weekend, and it was beautiful! I ended up with 27 signature blocks (hmmm... odd number), but I'm hoping to get at least 3 more (from people who didn't sign) for an even number of blocks. Otherwise, I will just have to draw some cute pictures on 3 blocks or something! :) I would hate to leave them blank...

I'll post more pics soon!

Quilt #3 Progress...

More Quilts In Progress...

Here are a couple more quilts that I'm working on... Yes, I know it is way past Valentine's Day, but this is actually going to be a quilt for my husband. I am very lucky to have a husband who agrees with me that Valentine's Day should be celebrated every day. Good thing, because I think I might miss my deadline for this quilt. I'm hoping to at least have the quilt top done by the end of February. I am using Moda's L'Amour fabric by Sandy Gervais. I love using panels. My way of cheating, I guess. It gets the quilt done faster. :)

I don't really have a design laid out, but I knew I wanted to try a nine-patch this time. So, I've made several nine-patch blocks into "X's and O's". I'll probably just place them all around the panel somehow.

And here's another quilt I've started on...

This is going to be for my step-sister and her soon-to-be husband. They will be getting married in March. Her colors are pink and green, and she really liked this fabric, Moda's Eden by Lila Tueller. The entire collection also includes a bunch of purple floral fabrics, but I will just be using the pinks, greens, and yellows. It will be a signature quilt, so I also have some white fabric for people to sign. I will have a little envelope with the white fabric squares at the tables at her wedding, along with some fabric pens, and a description of the signature quilt project. I'll have people write a little something (congratulations, marriage advice, etc) on the white squares. Then, after the wedding, I will put the quilt together. I'm excited to see if everyone participates, and to see the final product! :)

Here's an example block. I like using bigger pieces of fabric, so the blocks are bigger... making it faster to put the quilt together. :) Plus, I'm still scared to do any other shapes besides squares/rectangles. :/ I never thought I'd be afraid of shapes! LOL!

More Quilts In Progress...

Mini Monkey Quilt

Well, I suppose I could count this mini-quilt as one of the 12 quilts I'm going to make this year. Personally, I think its kind of cheating, since it was so easy to make compared to the bigger quilts. It only measures 17" by 17", a good size for dolls, for my sock animals, for baby, or as a wall hanging. I'm selling this quilt in my Etsy Shop. I'm hoping to add some more mini quilts... maybe some mini versions of the "I Spy" quilt that I made for my son.

I used the fabric from Moda's Goodnight Monkey collection. I think it is such a cute collection of fabrics! :) I used mostly the blue fabrics in this quilt, with the monkeys in their pajamas, and little Zzz's. I did a simple grid quilt pattern, and I really am happy with how it turned out.

Here's one of my monkeys ready for his nap. Hmm... I think he needs eyelids. ;)

Mini Monkey Quilt

Craft Hope Project 6

Ta da! Here's my completed scarf for Craft Hope Project 6. This red scarf will be going to keep a foster teen's neck warm this winter! For this project, Craft Hope partnered with the Orphan Foundation of America for their Red Scarf Program, helping college bound youth with a Valentine's Day care package, including a red scarf.

My scarf is a very simple crochet pattern. I am by no means a "professional" crocheter. I've seen some of the other scarves going in, and they are just so gorgeous compared to mine! I need to learn how to read those patterns... they can be confusing! :/

I'm glad I was able to help out again with this amazing group! :)

Craft Hope Project 6

First Completed Quilt of the Year!

Ta Da! Well, here's the finished project. Hopefully my first quilt of many (at least 12) this year! ;) As I had said in my post earlier, this is an "I Spy" quilt for my son. After finishing the quilt top, I was so excited to finish the complete quilt that I pretty much finished the rest in half a day. I am still not a pro when it comes to the actual "quilting" part of it, but I am experimenting and am hopefully getting better with each quilt. I did simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilting, as well as a few wavy lines throughout.

I didn't want to cover up the "I Spy" squares with a bunch of quilting patterns, in case it would confuse my son. ;) So, I just did alternating wavy stitches along some of the green and blue sashing.

I was very happy with the back of the quilt, too! I was glad that I had a bunch of the blue and green fabric left over from the front of the quilt. So, I decided to incorporate some of that on the back as well. I used cotton batting and did a simple wrap-around binding with the back fabric piece.

My son was so excited to start finding different animals and objects! I love watching him point his little finger to all the blocks! I am so happy he loves it! The quilt is now keeping him warm at night, as well as keeping him busy with a quiet activity (at least for a little while) during the day! :)

First Completed Quilt of the Year!